Title: Density based sustainable fingerling production techniques of indigenous major carp, Labeo rohita (Hamilton, 1822) in ponds of Bangladesh​Abstract: Density based fingerling production technique of indigenous major carp (Labeo rohita) was conducted in ponds from 14th August to 14th October, 2013. Experiment was carried out under rearing pond with three treatments group each having three replicates. Size of the stocked fries was 1.5±0.12 cm length and 0.43±0.13 g weight. Stocked fries (Labeo rohita) were collected from Rajshahi City Hatchery, Rajshahi. Stocking density was maintained at 400000/ha (T1), 500000/ha (T2), 600000/ha (T3) respectively. Fishes were fed same diet in three different treatments consisting of 25.5% protein at the rate of 8- 10% of body weight. Also same type of fertilizers was used in three different treatments consisting of Cowdung, Urea, and T.S.P. Physico-chemical characteristics of pond water were measured fortnightly. Mean values of some water quality parameters such as temperature (°C) were 31.18±1.33 (T1), 31.21±1.37 (T2), 31.12±1.25 (T3); dissolved oxygen (mg/l) 6.65±0.54 (T1), 6.61±0.48 (T2), 7.05±0.28 (T3); carbon dioxide (mg/l) 6.75±0.53 (T1), 6.49±0.56 (T2), 6.70±0.50 (T3­) and pH 6.08±0.21 (T1), 7.04±0.22 (T2), 7.18±0.17 (T3); transparency (cm) 39.92±0.60 (T1), 39.91±0.58 (T2), 89.87±0.74 (T3) respectively. Sampling was also done fortnightly. Mean value of final length (cm) 7.76±0.12 (T1) 7.74±0.12 (T2) 7.70±0.14 (T3) and the mean value of final weight (g) was 4.98±0.25 (T1), 4.61±0.32 (T2), 4.37±0.32 (T3­). Survival rate of Labeo rohita was 74.96% (T1), 66.50% (T2), and 62.50% (T3) respectively. Highest survivability was found in T1. The production (kg/ha) of Labeo rohita fry was 1392.02±64.83 (T1), 1419.77±96.26 (T2), 1511.05±96.70 (T3) respectively. The highest production was found in T3. Higher CBR was found from treatment T1 (1:2.71) than from treatment T2 (1:2.40) and T3 (1:2.47). From the study it is evident that lower stocking density effective for optimum result in the growth of Labeo rohita fry.

Title: Socio-economic impact and profitability of liming by dolochun on vegetable production in acidic soil of Sreepur, Gazipur

Abstract:Impact of dolochun in terms of changes in yield and profitability of selected vegetables were studied. Sreepur upazila of Gazipur district was the location of this study. Sixty respondents were selected as the sample of the study by using proportionate random sampling technique. Data were collected with the help of an interview schedule. Statistical measures such as mean, number, percentage, standard deviation and t-test were administered to express result. Production of bitter gourd, snake gourd, red amaranth and ladies finger increased significantly and return found from the yield of those selected vegetables also increase significantly after adoption of dolochun technology. The benefit cost ratio (BCR) of selected vegetables such as bitter gourd, snake gourd, red amaranth and ladies finger was found 2.50, 2.41, 2.24 & 2.39 after application of dolochun before that it was 2.12, 2.09, 1.98 & 2.14 respectively. The study reflects that dolochun application can improve the yield efficiency and will help to increase profitability of the farmers. ​Key Words: Vegetable, Soil acidity, Dolochun, Yield and Profitabiliy

TITLESocio-economic impact and profitability of liming by dolochun on vegetable production in acidic soil of Sreepur, Gazipur

Title: Yield and leaf nutrient concentrations of common bean genotypes as influenced by aluminium toxicity under acidic soils

Abstract:The study was carried out to assess the effect of different concentrations of exchangeable aluminum on yield and nutrient concentrations in the leaf tissues of two common bean genotypes grown in pots on limed and unlimed acidic soils. Factorial combinations of five aluminum rates and two common bean genotypes were laid out in a completely randomized design with three replications. Yield and leaf nutrient concentrations were markedly affected by aluminium application and the magnitude of this effect depended on the genotype, on the levels of aluminium applied, and liming regimes. On average, the genotypes suffered 10.8% (new BILFA 58) and 24.5% (Roba 1) reductions in grain yield when grown on unlimed soil than limed soil. Lime application increased nutrient content of the leaf (28.5% P, 36.9% Ca, 4.91% K and 14.7% N) and reduced aluminium (56.4%) concentrations in the leaf tissue compared to limed soil. It is concluded that applying aluminum significantly decreased yield and nutrient uptake of both genotypes under both liming regimes.​Key Words: Aluminium toxicity, Genotypes, Grain yield, Lime and Nutrient concentrations

TITLEYield and leaf nutrient concentrations of common bean genotypes as influenced by aluminium toxicity under acidic soils

Abstract:Field experiments were conducted at the Agronomy Field Laboratory, Bangladesh Agricultural University to identify the most profitable mixed cropping sequence of mungbean with off season Tossa jute. Experiment was laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design with three replications, consisting of fourteen treatments. Results showed that plant population at harvest, plant height, branches plant-1, seed yield and 1000-seed weight of jute were reduced in mixed cropping treatments as compared with sole cropping of jute. As a result, the seed yield of sole jute crop was always higher than that of mixed cropping treatments. The highest seed yield of jute was 485.5 kg ha-1 as sole cropping treatment and lowest seed yield of jute 122.5kg ha-1 was obtained in 80% mungbean+20% jute treatment. However, the highest land equivalent ratio (1.16) and monetary advantage (Tk 11724.13 ha-1) were found in of 100% mungbean+80% jute treatment which also gave the higher economic return than sole jute seed crop. Therefore, the seed yield of jute and mungbean at mixed cropping under variable seeding rates were less than their sole crop yields but the combined yields or equivalent yields of jute and mungbean from mixed cropping were more than the sole crop yield of either jute or mungbean. Thus mixed cropping of mungbean and jute appeared to be the best practice in terms of economic return to the farmers.​Key Words: Jute seed crop, Mungbean, Mixed cropping, Benefit cost ratio (BCR) and Land equivalent ratio (LER)

Title: Hierarchical cluster, euclidean distance and principal component analysis based on phenotypic characters of hosta​Abstract:Hosta is a widely grown ornamental plants and sometimes used as vegetables. Hybridization of hostas is frequently done by home gardener. We conducted an experiment using twelve hosta taxa (coded from T1-T12) to analyze the morphological traits based hierarchical cluster, euclidean distance and PCA with a view to provide necessary information to the hosta breeders. We used complete randomized design with five replicates for the data collection of morphological traits. H. sieboldiana and H. montana had similar morphological characters while H. longipes var. gracillima, H. kiyosumiensis were mostly similar morphological characters as well. From the dissimilarity analysis, it was found that the dissimilarity distance between H. alismifolia and H. montana was maximum (452.2) which was closely followed by H. longissima and H. montana (447.6) where as minimum dissimilarity distance between H. sieboldii and H. nakaiana (36.2). PCA indicated that two important components accounted for 97.76% of the total variation among traits in of hosta taxa. The first and second component contributed 81.92% and 15.84% of the total variation, respectively. Leaf area was found as a unique morphological trait. H. sieboldiana, H. montana and H. longipes var. gracillima shared the common components; as well as H. alismifolia with H. longissima, H. sieboldii with H. nakaiana and H. tardiva with H. longipes var. caduca comprised common components. Overall, results revealed importance morphological components in breeding ability in hosta taxa.

Title: In vitroPLBs organogenesis ofPhalaenopsis using different concentrations of HA9 and HA12 combination

Abstract:The organogenesis of PLBs of Phalaenopsis ‘Fmk02010’ was studied to find out the effective treatment combination of HA9 and HA12. We used five different concentrations of HA9 and HA12 combinations and those were C0: 0, C1: 0.01, C2: 0.10, C3: 1.00 and C4: 10.00 mgL-1. Explants were cultured in modified MS medium for 42 days. The highest numbers of PLBs (18.4/explant) were found from C2 which was statistically identical with C1 (15.20/explant). The PLBs formation rate was hundred percent in C1, C2 and C3. Numbers of PLBs were reduced in the higher concentrations (C3 and C4) which were lower than that of control while PLBs formation rate was reduced only in C4 (60.0%) than the control (86.7%). Numbers of shoots were also decreased with the increase of concentration. Maximum numbers of roots were found from C1 (1.0/explant) while rest of the treatments showed lower number of roots than that of control. The highest fresh weight was found in C2 (0.307 g) and lowest was in C4 (0.228 g); C4 was statistically identical with C3 (0.229 g).​Key Words: Orchid, Hyaluronic Acid, Protocorm-like body and Formation rate

In vitro PLBs organogenesis of Phalaenopsis using different concentrations of HA9 and HA12 combination

Abstract: Dekoko (Pisum sativum var. abyssinicum) is one of the most important food legumes grown in south Tigray and north Wollo, northern Ethiopia. It is one among the most important food legumes in terms of price and protein content. It grows mixed and alone with many cereal crops growing in north Ethiopia. This study was conducted with the objective of selecting adaptable and relatively high yielding P. sativum var. abyssinicum collections under different salt (NaCl) concentrations at laboratory conditions. Seeds for 30 collections were obtained from nine districts; two regional states of north Ethiopia with different attitudinal ranges 1300 m.a.s.l being the lowest and 3148 m.a.s.l the highest. Of the 30 on farm and wire house tested local collections, six vigorously growing local collections, three from Ofla (T-001/08OF, T-002/08OF and, T-003/08OF), one from Sirinka (TA-026/15Sr), one from Emba-Alaje (T-025/15E/A), and one from Endamohoni (T-023/08MW) were selected four this study; for salt stress resistances in controlled condition by priming in four salt treatment levels (5 dS/m, 7 dS/m, 9 dS/m and 15 dS/m). Distilled water (0 dS/m) was used as control. Fifty (50) surface sterilized seeds per petri dish were sown for the four salt treatments and the control. Collections T-001/08 from Ofla and T-023/08 from Endamohoni showed good growth performance at 5 dS/m. However, TA-026/15Sr from Sirinka and T-025/15E/A from Betmara (Emba-Alaje) respond positively upto 7dS/m. At higher salinity level growth features decreased with increasing salinity stress. But, T-023/08MW, T-001/08OF, TA-026/15Sr followed by T-025/15E/A from lower to the higher resistances respectively could withstand lower to medium concentrations of salinity as compared to the other collections.​Key Words: Pisum sativum, Northern Ethiopia, High yielding, Resistance and Salinity level

Abstract: The present study was conducted to determine antioxidant activity of two Asteraceae plants namely Anaphalis lawii (Hook. f) Gamble and Helichrysum buddleioides DC. The entire plants were shade dried and extracted by maceration process using methanol. Assays namely DPPH radical scavenging, ABTS radical scavenging, Nitric oxide scavenging, Ferric reducing and Iron chelating activity were performed to determine in vitro antioxidant activity of extract. In all assays, extract of H. buddleioides displayed marked activity when compared to extract of A. lawii. Folin-Ciocalteau reagent method and Aluminium chloride colorimetric estimation method were used to estimate the content of total phenolics and flavonoids respectively. Extract of H. buddleioides contained high phenolics and flavonoids when compared to A. lawii which might have accounted for marked antioxidant activity. The plants can be used against oxidative stress.​Key Words: Anaphalis lawii, Helichrysum buddleioides, Total phenolics and Total flavonoids